The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1887-10-14
0 UNIVERSITY oeBT.

tigate the legrl ObligHtiODs OF ih'
State 10 the A. and u. College, 10.
dHstriAl Female Institute aud State
University, Senator J. T. GOOrgs
has furnished q report with refer
eHce to the State University, 81
considerable length and in exhaus-
i've detail.
Senator George, with great re
search, pains and labor, reviews
the "Fiusneial history OF thGUni.
versiiy7 in reply o . claim OF The
University under that head in their
pamphlet just isAued, in which it'll
claimed that the State is in debt "a
that institution about e. OO, 900
The investigation begins With Feb
ruary 29Ih, 1919, when Congress
granted SO sections or 2304O acres
Of land situated in this State, to be
located ia tracts not less than four
sections, s4w hich shall be vested iu
the Legislature OF said State in
trust for the support OF . Seminary
OF learning therein This land
was at irst leased aud then sold,
the funds so raised constituting
what was then Ilesfguated the
"Seminary fund.-" OF which the
State University, afterwards incor-
porated, was made the grantee.
Such monies AS were raised from
leases aud sales OF these lands yer
invested in the stock OF the Plant
er's Bank ia trust for the UniversI-
ty and afterwsrl lost. THIS fund
or rather the whole smoa1I o. TIE
purchase prIce OF these aGds, SiIh
8 per cent. eouPo0nd interrs. seems
to be the bass Of the calculation
Of the - 10000 Indebtedness.
Gsn- George takes the position that
the State does rot owe that College
that or any other amount, on the
Hypothesis, first. that the Stale Is
not legally liable for the funds 50
Loaf, or, enHeediug that much, that
sbe is not liable tor more thaa waS
actually collected on leases and
land sales With 8 per cent. interest,
and lastly ihst Wiih all reasonable
concessions abe has mort than dis
charged the entire debt OF princi-
pal aud interest.
The paper is indeed a MASTER
piece enIB4tihg trou q OF the
sOuudest j%urists Of the State. II
apparently reduces 10 order .
ehoas Of over siIty years standing,
proceeding through a perfect maze
Of inaccuracies, biuHders and delu.
sions appearing in a large mass
Of public documents, coming up
through all the scenes OF ''this
strange, ~eYentful history through
wealth aud poverty, war, pestIlrpce
aud peace 10 the last scene of 1880,
when The Legislature passed an
act recognizing = debt Of the State
to The University Of e544,O6l23.
OF this last act Senator George
says:
"And thus It appears that this
debt-crealing act of the Legislature
has for its support 4 report from a
Com mittee which has for its sup-
port the statement Of Col. Brough-
er, which has for it's support moth.
ing. Verify the ancient belief OF the
nursery, that the world stood on
the head Of a great surpent-which
stood on The back of a great tnrtle
stood on the-ShAdnWY la
ane-"the stun dreams arc made
offs not so unreasonable alter
all.7
Outside OF the conclusions reach
ed or the sOundneSs or uuSGunh-
of the positions taken by the
author, this document is one Of
great value for historical data and
is worthy a place among The arch
ives Of the State. The Senator
recommends that the Legislature
pass an C authorizing the Univer
sity to institute suit for the alleged
Indebtedness aud have il disposed
Of by the Supreme Court, both the
State and University to abide the
upon Whatsoever the debt
may fall.
We understand that Hon. Ed
ward Mayes, professor in charge OF
the Law department aud President
OF the faculty OF the University, is
preparing u reply, which will be
awaited With much interest by the
thinking public.
As to the position Of Senator
George with reference to the other
We will speak hereafter.
THE Democracy Of Perry county,